


Flavors

by lokifiction



Category: Loki (Marvel) - Fandom, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: (aka the ending we all deserved), Domestic, Fluff, Gen, Ice Cream, Infinity War never happened, Post-Ragnarok, Summer, domestic summer fluff, loki is a picky eater, loki is a slut for ice cream
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-06-16 23:35:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15448353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lokifiction/pseuds/lokifiction
Summary: Loki, in an attempt to learn about and adjust to life on Midgard, tries ice cream for the first time.





	Flavors

Loki was adjusting to life on Midgard splendidly.

In dealing with the destruction of the world he had called his home for almost a thousand years, he saw the positive in that we could be together all the time, seeing as we would now reside on the same planet. However, work prevented me from picking up and moving to Norway, and Loki and I had warned Thor that the Norwegians wouldn’t let people claiming to be an alien race just waltz in and set up a kingdom on their land, whether their ancestors worshipped them or not. And sure enough, when the ship landed on Earth, the refugee Asgardians were plunged into a slew of negotiations with the government regarding them being allowed to stay. When S.H.I.E.L.D arrived, Loki, who still wasn’t a favorite of theirs, decided that his presence probably wouldn’t help the situation, and removed himself to come live with me until the chaos died down.

He was savvy enough to blend in perfectly, and if I didn’t know better, I would never suspect that he was an alien that had never resided on Earth for longer than a few weeks at a time. He had a period where he mourned silently for the world he had considered his home, not leaving my apartment at all, but as time passed, he was eager to get out more, and see what sort of lifestyle I led in my little corner of Earth. When he first mentioned his feelings about that to me one hot Friday afternoon, when I was hot and sweaty from work and the walk home, I eagerly suggested we go try out my favorite ice cream shop, and he readily agreed.

I walked into the shop with my mouth already watering- it had been so long since I’d treated myself. With Loki’s fingers intertwined in mine, I pulled him along to look at the flavors, biting my lip at the thought of just choosing one.

“Hmm.” I smacked my lips. “I think I’m going to get the caramel peanut butter cup this time.”

There was silence on Loki’s end, enough to prompt me to cast a glance in his direction and notice him staring at the menu with a furrowed brow.

“You okay?” I eventually asked, nudging his shoulder with mine.

“Darling, what on Earth is a ‘Twix’?” he eventually responded.

It made complete sense to me that he would have no idea what any of the candies or even some of the flavors were, seeing as the time he had clocked on Earth wasn’t spent perusing grocery stores and sampling chocolate bars. Whenever we had gone out in the past, it was usually to high-end restaurants, which reduced his exposure to Midgardian commoner food to almost none.

“Um… I don’t really know how to describe a Twix bar…” I trailed off. “It’s chocolate, and crunchy.”

“But how does it taste?”

“Well, I think they’re delicious.”

“But I’m a picky eater, love.” Loki kissed my forehead to take the edge of off his comment. “I need more than that.”

“I’m sorry. It’s just that I’ve grown up with things like that. To me, a Twix tastes like a Twix.”

“Okay, then.” He studied the menu once more, and I was suddenly grateful that the shop was experiencing its after-dinner Friday rush. I didn’t mind giving Loki the time he needed to figure out what he wanted, but I hated the slightly annoyed stares I got from employees when taking the time to make such decisions.

“Is it any easier to describe a Three Musketeers?” he asked, shaking his head. “Norns, that’s a colorful name.”

“Yes, that one’s easier! It’s simpler than a Twix. It’s really smooth milk chocolate covering nougat.” I paused when I noticed Loki’s furrowed brow. “Do you not know what nougat is?”

“No, I don’t believe I do.”

“Well, it’s squishy and a bit chewy…tastes sweet, but I suppose everything in here tastes sweet.”

By the time I finished my poor explanation, Loki’s eyes were already trained back on the menu. “And butterscotch? Rocky road? Why in the Nine would you want to eat something that tastes like a rocky road?”

“It doesn’t actually taste like a rocky road, doofus.” I rolled my eyes, pushing him lightly.

“Well, then, what does it taste like?” he practically sang, with an all too familiar tight-lipped smile mischievous glint in his eyes.

“You’re just asking all of these questions to make fun of me!” I shrieked. “I’m not kidding when I say I can’t describe these things! It’s like how you can’t really explain traditional Asgardian treats to me because you’ve grown up with them!”

“Alright, perhaps you’ve caught me.” Loki licked his lips and looked at me like I was the most delicious thing in the shop, pulling me flush against my body so he could murmur his next words in my ear. “But one thing that I know without a doubt is that you have very good taste. I trust you to pick something for me.”

“Lo, only you would find a way to use picking out an ice cream flavor as a vehicle for seduction. And it’s working.” I gave him a swift kiss to assure him of that before turning my attention back to the task at hand. “What sort of flavors do you like in your desserts? Sweet, salty, bitter?”

“Contrary to popular belief, I actually have quite a bit of a sweet tooth,” Loki replied, mimicking my suddenly serious demeanor.

“I knew that much. You eat primarily fruit when you’re at my place, and when we’re on Asgard, you go through an entire dish of dates a morning. And I’ll never forget the time I attended the harvest feast and you, quite elegantly, I might add, completely destroyed an impressive amount of apple-lemon cakes.”

Loki’s eye twitched a bit at that comment. While my memory from that feast was finding out something new and quirky about Loki that I loved, his memory was from the blazingly judgmental looks he got from the servants and attendants as they noticed the large amount of cake crumbs on his plate in comparison to the enormous, red, dripping hunk of beef that he barely touched.

“I’m not making fun, I promise. I did eat just as many cakes as you did that night. I’m just used to you eating like a bird because you’re so picky. Which is why this decision is a bit stressful for me, because ice cream is one of my favorite things and I want you to love it, too. Everything in here is going to be sweet, so what kind of sweet do you or don’t you like?”

“Overly bitter things aren’t my favorite, though I don’t mind it in moderation,” he compliantly informed. “The only thing I absolutely can’t stand sweet-wise are things that are so senselessly sweet that they don’t taste like anything tangible as food.”

“Okay, bubble gum is definitely out, then. Not that I pegged you as a bubble gum sort of person in the first place.” I reviewed the flavors once more. “What sort of sweet do you like best? Fruity sweet? Chocolate? You like chocolate.”

“I do.” Loki ran his fingers down his chin. “I think that’s what I want. Something chocolate.”

“Okay, something chocolate. That’s definitely doable,” I assured. “Are you in the mood for something light or heavy? Crunchy? Smooth?”

“Love, I told you that I trust you to pick something out for me.” Loki chuckled lightly and held me by the shoulders. “Teach me about Midgardian culture through ice cream.”

“Okay. I have just the thing that represents every category mentioned and I think you might really like.” I tapped Loki’s nose and approached the counter at last. “I’ll have a caramel peanut butter cup sundae, and he’ll have the mint Oreo sundae.”

“Do I dare ask what an Oreo is?” Loki murmured in my ear as the worker filled our orders. “Will I get another very colorful yet unhelpful description?”

“Oh, Oreos are easy! They’re crunchy chocolate cookies with thick cream in the middle.”

“And what’s a cookie?”

“I’m not going to attempt to describe a cookie. You’ll see in just a few moments.”

Once the worker finished constructing Loki’s sundae- three scoops of mint cookies and cream ice cream (a specialty of the shop) topped with chocolate drizzle, Oreo crumbles, and three whole mint Oreos atop each scoop of ice cream- and handed it to me, and I turned to pass it to Loki.

“Here. This order had Loki written all over it.”

Once we took our ice creams to a small table in the corner, Loki pointed at the Oreos on top of his sundae. “So these are cookies?”

“One kind of them, yes. There’s a lot of different kinds of cookies, actually.”

“Are you serious?” Loki stared at the Oreo. “For such a young planet, Midgard has developed quite the eclectic culinary culture.”

“Well, those are humans for you. Especially American humans.” I nudged his forearm. “Go on, try it.”

“Alright, alright.” He brought it to his nose. “It smells delicious, but so unnatural.”

“Just try it already, Mr. Picky.”

“Fine.” He bit into the Oreo and chewed thoughtfully. “Well, now I understand why there are so many different kinds of cookies. This is certainly a pleasant surprise.”

“Good, right?” I handed him his spoon. “Now try the whole thing.”

He scrutinized the utensil in his hand. “This spoon is inadequately sized for the task at hand.”

“Tell me about it.” I took a bite of my own ice cream. “Just try it! You liked the Oreo, so I think you’ll definitely like the whole thing.”

“I’m just trying to savor this whole experience. You’re the one that would call the whole thing sentimental.”

“Usually, yes, but it’s starting to melt! You don’t get the full effect if it’s melted.”

“As you wish, my darling.” Loki piled his spoon with a bite of ice cream and all of the toppings, but I stopped him before he could put it in his mouth.

“I thought you wanted me to hurry up!” he protested.

“I know, but that comment about sentiment made me remember.” I pointed my cell phone camera at his face. “Now remember how much you love me and smile.”

I quickly snapped my desired photo of him with his ice cream and Loki finally popped the bite into his mouth, eyes growing wide.

“Oh my gods,” he exclaimed, uncharacteristically speaking with his mouth full and already taking another bite before swallowing the first. “This is one of the most delicious things I’ve ever tasted. No wonder you humans are so easily controlled by food.”

“I told you!” I watched bemusedly as Loki went after his cup of ice cream with a fervor I’d never seen from him before. “Do you want a bite of mine? It’s a bit different from yours- peanut butter, chocolate, and caramel.”

Loki remembered himself and put his spoon down, dabbing his mouth with a napkin. “What’s caramel?”

“It’s this brown stuff on top. Here.” I ran my spoon through the syrup and handed it over to him. He tried it and smacked his lips, handing the spoon back to me.

“That is also delicious,” he assessed. “I would like a bite of yours.”

I fixed him a “perfect” bite and held it up to his mouth, giggling as he ate it from my hand, wondering the reactions that would occur if the world could see the God of Mischief being fed by a mortal. As he tasted the ice cream, his eyes fluttered closed and he sighed.

“That is also divine.”

“I told you so.” I took a bite for myself. “Ice cream is one of the best ever human inventions.”

“I agree wholeheartedly. “ Loki returned to his own ice cream, so absorbed in it that he didn’t say a word, making for our most silent outing together to date. When every last bit of his ice cream was gone, he rose from his chair, still without speaking, and drifted back towards the register.

“What are you doing?” I called after him.

“I really liked what you had, as well,” he replied. “I want an order of it myself.”

I sat back and watched him place his second order in amused awe, thinking that introducing Loki to ice cream was one of the best things I’d ever done.

***

The next morning, I sat in bed alone, scrolling through Instagram. Loki rose early, as usual, and announced to me that he wanted to go pick something up for breakfast. It was something he’d done a time or two on Saturday mornings to pass the time while I slept, and I figured he’d return with crepes or Eggs Benedict or something along those lines. I browsed Instagram to pass the time, reading the comments from the photo I’d posted of Loki with his ice cream, laughing out loud at some particularly witty and colorful ones from Thor and Tony Stark. I admired the photo for myself until I heard the front door open, and I rose from the bed to greet Loki.

“Thanks for doing this, love.” I rose up on my toes and kissed his cheek. “What did you get?”

“Ice cream,” he announced with all of the excitement of a child on Christmas morning, pulling the travel cups out of the bag he carried.

“…Ice cream?” I echoed.

“Yes. I simply couldn’t wait to try a new flavor.” He breezed past me and into the kitchen, retrieving a pair of spoons.

“Were there even any ice cream shops open at this time of the morning?” I asked, looking at the cups to find out where they came from.

“It was certainly difficult to find one, but it was worth it. Ice cream is quite possibly the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted, and I could eat it for every meal.”

“Hm, the most delicious thing you’ve ever tasted?” I contorted my lips into a pout and threw my arms around his neck. “I thought that was me.”

He chuckled and pulled me in for a kiss, murmuring his next words against my lips. “Then I suppose I’ll have to taste you again, and make a proper assessment.”


End file.
